On what date did Pokémon celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026?

Pokémon celebrated its 30th anniversary on February 27, 2026.

The date marks the Japanese release of Pocket Monsters Red and Green for the Game Boy on February 27, 1996. Those games began the Pokémon video-game franchise and introduced the original generation of collectible creatures.

February 27 is also known as Pokémon Day. The date is based on the Japanese launch, not on the later international releases of Pokémon Red and Blue. The English-language versions arrived in North America in 1998 and Europe in 1999.

The 2026 anniversary therefore commemorates the franchise’s Japanese beginning, even though many players outside Japan first encountered Pokémon through the anime, trading cards, or the international games. Pokémon’s 20th anniversary was similarly tied to the 1996 Japanese game launch.